1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to candles and more particularly to a specialized candle and method of making same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years special materials have been mixed with molten wax to produce a homogeneous mixture which is molded, or otherwise formed, in accordance with techniques well known in the art, to produce candles having special characteristics. Such specializing materials include a wide variety of scent producing compounds, insect repellents, deodorizing chemicals, and the like. Although these specialized candles are commercially very successful, there are several problems associated therewith from the standpoints of manufacturing, usage, and a compromised product.
In the first place, specializing additives, such as those mentioned above, act as impurities when added to candle wax and those impurities cause the undesirable results of softening of the finished candle body and a lowering of the melting point.
Softening of the candle body is undesirable in that more than the usual amount of care must be exercised in the packaging, shipping, and other handling of the finished product to prevent disfiguring thereof.
Lowering of the melting point of the candle is also undesirable in that excessive melting of the wax occurs during burning of the candle and the molten wax will oftentimes drip down the sides of the candle. Along with being messy, a dripping candle is inefficient in that the molten wax thus lost is a waste of the combustible material of the candle. A further problem associated with candles having a low melting point is that oftentimes special refrigeration equipment is needed for storage and/or shipment to insure that relatively high ambient temperatures do not cause the candle body to sag or become otherwise deformed.
These problems of softening and lower melting point can be controlled somewhat to within acceptable levels by either employing a harder candle wax having a higher melting point than would otherwise be needed, or by carefully controlling the amount of specializing additive that is mixed into the candle wax. The use of a harder and higher temperature wax, although allowing the use of somewhat larger quantities of specializing additives, is still subject to the limited use of such additives, and the wax itself results in a considerable rise in the cost of manufacturing such candles as this type of wax is relatively more expensive. Therefore, the most often used method of controlling these problems is to simply limit the amount of specializing additives employed to a point where the finished candle body will not be excessively soft or have an excessively low melting point.
It may now be seen that the prior art method of mixing limited amounts of specializing additives with the molten wax results in a compromised product in that such limiting oftentimes does not allow the use of sufficient quantities of the specializing additive to adequately achieve the desired result.
A further drawback in the above described prior art technique of homogeneously mixing specializing additives with the candle wax is that the effectiveness of the additives is continuously being diminished by the dissipation thereof into the air from the large exposed surface areas of the candle body.
From the manufacturing standpoint, the prior art technique of making specialized candles is undesirable in that each type of specialized candle is different, and expeditious filling of orders requires that inventories of each type of candle be maintained at all times. Such a requirement can be very costly to the manufacturers due to the needed storage facilities and the capital investment which is tied up in inventories which may or may not move rapidly.
In view of the above, a need exists for a new and improved specialized candle and method of making same which overcomes some of the problems and drawbacks of the prior art.